Marlow Brown is still trying to discover what she wants to be. In the first book, Marlow Brown: Scientist in the Making, she found science stimulating. Now she is back in Marlow Brown: Magician in the Making, interested in another challenge, and with more magic tricks than you can poke a sparkly spinning pen at.
Mervin’s Magic Show is appearing at the showground. Marlow has arranged to meet her friend Felix and secure front row seats. Influenced by Mervin’s magical ability, Marlow decides that it’s a magician she wants to become.
With a show bag full of magical incentives plus a good dose of planning and practice, Marlow is convinced this is what she was meant to become.
A new notebook records all her attempts and failures in order to help perfect her tricks.
She begins with hypnotism which she tries on Felix. It doesn’t work. Then she tries the Houdini straight-jacket escape. No results. Even the water in the upside-down glass trick is a failure. But Marlow is not a girl to give up!
When a talent show at school is advertised, Marlow decides this is her opportunity to shine, so she sets out to refine her hypnotic skills.
Regardless of the endless practice, things go dreadfully wrong. First she loses her hypnotic stone and is forced to use her sparkly pen to hypnotize her subjects. This results in chaos.
There are many shocks and surprises for the budding magician. Something so unexpected happens that Marlow can barely believe it!
This well-researched, humorous and clever series by Kesta Fleming, encourages all children to attempt things that interest them, even when they appear gender specific or too hard. Failure is always a possibility, but trying will inspire attempts at other things.
It is written in a lighthearted tone that matches the many funny situations. Marjory Gardner’s fabulous illustrations bring it all to life, visually relaying the fun through the chapters.
Entertaining characters and strong messages are added to the curious and deceptive things to be learnt about magic! Don’t forget to check out the end pages which have historical information about pen-spinning and some Try it Yourself tricks!
I hope this series will continue further. I find it brilliant and highly suitable for children who find reading challenging.
Title: Marlow Brown - Magician in the Making
Author: Kesta Fleming
Illustrator: Marjory Gardner
Publisher: Celapene Press, $14.95
Publication Date: 1 June 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781925572193
For ages: 8+
Type: Middle Grade
